As a recent graduate of Penn State and a Thon dancer my last two years as a student, I agree that 46 hours of Thon will not reduce the benefits donated to the Four Diamonds Fund. Also, despite the shortened event, I hope and anticipate that donations increase as they have over the years.

What I don't agree with, however, is the principle of the matter at stake. Penn State prides itself on tradition. For example, there is Joe Paterno, opposition of fight song revamps, student recruitment commercials, greek life and the men's basketball team's losing record.

And the last time I checked, Thon is a part of that tradition. Why is this disheartening to me? Penn State, year-in and year-out, sets the bar for student-run philanthropy. Each year, schools from across the country come and see how to run this event, and how to run this event right.

What example are we setting this year?

That the dollars earned from a basketball game trumps the biggest event of the year at Penn State?

I find it hard to believe that the all-powerful Graham Spanier could not push a bit harder on the Big Ten. Would the Big Ten basketball season be completely and utterly in chaos and disarray if no game was played on Sunday night? Do they not understand the magnitude of this event? Did Spanier ever relay the magnitude of this event to the Big Ten?

Furthermore, what is supposed to be a giant step forward for Thon, with the event being held in the Bryce Jordan Center for the first time, ends up being a step back on what once was. Don't get me wrong, Thon is still the single greatest event I have ever been a part of and most of everyone who participates this year will leave with the same experience. The fact of the matter is, though, that Thon is more of a tradition than Big Ten basketball's famous and well-attended Sunday night offerings.

I hope the usually defiant student body continues that tradition and pushes Thon 2007 back to 48 hours, and then we don't have to hear the number 46 again.